Gar-chain



(No Model.)

G. BROOKS. GAR GHAIN.

No. 357,570. Patented Feb. 15, 1887.

I I WITNESSES IJVVEJVTOR u. PETERS. Phob-Lithognpbcr. Wauhlngton. ac.

.dttorney ,9

NlTE STATES PATENT Trice.

GEORGE BROOKS, OF BLOOMINGTORILLINOIS.

CAR-C HAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,570, dated February 15, 1887.

Application filed JannarylO, 18%. Serial No. 159,217. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE BROOKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomington, in the county of McLean, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Chains, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to chains for uniting railway-cars where the draw-head of one of the cars has been pulled out; and it consists in a chain provided on one end with a large coupling-link having connected thereto the first of a series of smaller links, the last link of said series being in turn provided with the first link ofastill smaller series, the extremelink in said series having secured thereto ahook, said hook being adapted to engage in one of the middle or second series of links, all of which will be more fully hereinafter specified, and pointed out in the claim.

The objections to the common form of chain for coupling cars on railroads now in use are various. These chainsare similar in form to the 01d log-chain, the links being of uniform 'size, and are provided on one end with a cdupling-link and on the other with a hook. This old chain has no means for gatheringthe slack, and the cars have to be. moved more or less while being secured together, thus making the same dangerous to those who are compelled to handle it, and after the cars are united by this form of chain a serious objection arises by the undue length thereof, and consequentjarring and bumping when the cars are in motion; and, again, at times it is necessary to employ two of the old form of chain to'nieet the requirements of cars of variouslengths. use of my chain these objections are obviated, and it is not necessary for a man to pass between the ends of the cars to be united until said cars are brought into contact and stopped.

' I attain these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the abutting ends of two cars, in which the side of one car is broken away, showing my chain in position. Fig. 2 is a plan view of my improved chain.

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Bythe A represents the end or large couplinglink onmy chain. Thislink is of asufficient sizeto enter thejaws of the remaining draw-head, to enable the couplingpin in said draw-head to pass through it. To the link A is attached the first ofa series of links, 13. These links B are smaller than the coupling-link, and twice or more the strength of the succeeding links 0. Said links B are of a size adapted to receive the chain-hook 1). On the outer end of the series of links 0, I provide a link-hook, D,whereby the chain may be folded on itself and said hook secured into one of the links B,

for the purpose of taking up slack.

The operation of my invention is substantially as follows: After the draw-head of one of the cars has been pulled out the two cars are run together. The coupling-linkAis then placed into the draw-head of the sound car, and therein secured by means of the couplingpin. The loose end of the chain having the hook thereon is then passed through the stirrup E, out of which the draw-head has been pulled. The chain is thence passed around the king-bolt F on the truck. The slack is then taken up and the hook D placed in the nearest link of the middle-sized series B. By this arrangement the chain may be long enough for the longest car, yet can be made short enough for the shortest car. Again, b the use of my chain two cars can be united in ashorter time than is required where the old form of chain is employed, thus saving time, and consequent delay of trains. Again, my chain can be made of less material than is re quired in the construction of the old form of chain, by reason of the fact that it may be partly doubled on itself and united by means of the hook and middle series of links, while in said old form it is necessary, after the chain has been passed around the king'bolt, to unite both the hook andlink, then pass them through the stirrup and secure the large link (with the hook therein) to the coupling-pin in the jaws of the remaining draw-head. By this arrangement the hook is apt to become disengaged from the link, owing to its exposed position between the abutting ends of the cars, and the cars thereby again become uncoupled. The serious accidents that might follow such My chain, as previously set forth, may be partly folded on itself and secured, thus re quiring a shorter chain to do the work, and a consequent cheaper and lighter one than the 5 old form referred to.

I am aware that a car-coupling chain has been constructed of links of the same size with hooks at each end thereof and its middle portion provided with a ring having a coupling- 10 link, and I do not claim such a construction provided with a coupling-link, the body of the chain composed of links of two different sizes, the smaller size links being on the hook end, the largcr'size links being on the other end, whereby the coupling-link may be secured to the draw-head of one car and the smaller links passed around the king-boltof thetruck of an adjacent car, and the slack of the chain taken up by means of the hook secured to one of thelarger links, as shown and described.

In testimony whereofl affixniy signaturein presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE BROOKS.

Witnesses:

THOS. SLADE, M. S. SLADE. 

